A bird in the Scouts (on hiatus)

Retake Wall Maria: Part 2

The Scout Regiment travels towards Wall Maria under the cover of night to begin their operation to reclaim the territory they lost five years ago. One of the soldiers suddenly trips, letting go of his latern and makes his horse panic. He quickly calms it down.

Levi: Hey! You've gotta light up the ground!

Soldier: S-Sorry.

Levi: *to Harold* We're not at the foot yet? It's almost dawn.

Harold: *looks at the map* Once we're over this mountain, Shiganshina's right there.

A bit afar from them Mikasa and Eren are walking together. Mikasa's taking Eren's horse.

Eren: Sorry you're stuck with my horse.

Mikasa: You're supposed to be saving your energy.

Eren: Yeah, I know.

Connie starts talking behind Eren, aggreeing with Mikasa.

Connie: She's right. Rest up, E- Ouch!

Ravus: *pinches Connie's cheek* Moron.

Connie: What was that for?! *rubs his cheek*

Jean: Don't say his name, idiot.

Connie: Oh, yeah, sorry.

Jean: Assume this place is swarming with enemies. 

He stops and looks at his side to see a titan leaning against a rock. He raises his lamp at it.

Jean: Titan on the left! Everyone halt! Light up the area!

All soldiers light up the area and raise the blades, Hange then speaks up.

Hange: It's all right. He's fast asleep. This lad must be one of these new types that moves at night. *lowers he blades* That's too bad. Let him be.

They all calm down and move forward.

Eren: I can't believe we didn't see it till that close up.

Hange: Yeah, I'm with you there. This moonless night must be protecting us. Light from the moon is reflected sunlight. The new type of Titan... We think they use that minuscule amount of reflected light to move. Using the new moon was the right move. There's no guarantee we won't have a repeat of before.

Ravus remembers that day. He looks down when he thinks how mentally destroyed Michel and Nanaba became. Through their injuries they had to quit the Scout Regiment and being deliverd in a psychiatric clinic to get treated from their trauma. He clenches his teeth and balls his free hand in rage. Armin notices his anger and looks at him worried. He raises a hand a hand on Ravus' arm what snaps him from his thought and takes a deep breath to calm down.

Hange: That lad may be one of those "Moonlight Titans" for all we know. *excited* Hope we can capture one someday!

Ravus: Not again.

Eren begins to feel the pressure of the operation, and how everyone is counting on him. He grips his shaking arm what Mikasa and Armin notice.

Mikasa: Eren...

Armin: What are you shaking for? Are you scared?

Eren: Huh?! I'm not scared!

Ravus: Yeah sure. And why are you shaking like espen leaves?

Armin: Eren... Look at your hand.

Eren: This is... it's cold! My hand's damn freezing!

Armin: Really? My whole body's been shaking the whole time. *shows his shaking hand* See? Eren, have you ever been afraid of Titans? Normally, everyone's terrified of them. Like me... The first time I faced a Titan, I couldn't move a muscle. But... there I was... And you pulled me right out of a Titan's mouth. How were you able to do something like that?